more flying geese

Mild weekend followed by another change - near freezing nights, but bright last couple of days.

We even managed to sit outside in the warm sunshine today, after we re-potted our salix tree, giving it a much large pot to grow in.

Last night I made 4 more flying geese sets for the "Cool Flying Geese" quilt.

This makes 27 in all, only 3 more to go, and I will be able to put together the main part of the quilt top!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2016

Les Fleurs du Mardi 1 & 2, and Bohemian Rhapsody

What was I up to this week, besides keeping warm in my kitchen?

I finished second (no 1) block of "The Tuesday Flowers" BOM by Quiltmania, just ready for the next two blocks to be released next Tuesday. 

2 blocks are being published every last Tuesday in a month - free to download from Quiltmania website .

I also finished units 3 & 4 of the Bohemian Rhapsody Wrap,

ready to be joined to units 1 & 2,

and started to work on unit 5 (of 18 in total)

Happy stitching!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2016

Saturday baking

 We have been having a strange weather mix this week.

At the beginning of the week our porch looked like this - COLD!

And outside the metal robin in the alpine garden had cold feet.

The end of this week - warmer but wet, it has not stopped raining all day today,

time for comfort food!

Lemon and lime syrup cake.

I won't even try to pretend that this is good for you, it is exactly what the name implies!

But it is beautifully moist, full of lemon flavour (and sugary lemon syrup).

And it is going fast.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2016

FNwF

Yes, it was that time of month again - get together over at Cheryll's; although she wasn't in, she still let us used her blog - thank you Cheryll! 

I missed last month, so it was the first one for me this year, a chance to meet up with everyone last night.

The weather in this part of the world is definitely "stitching weather", the rain is coming down in sheets and the wind just takes your umbrella away.

So, what was I up to?

In my post "2001 Blocs", just before the end of January, I wrote about a book of the same name, published by Quiltmania. 

The lovely people at Quiltmania are now running a Mystery Quilt 2016, The Tuesday with Flowers,  

using blocks from the book. On the last Tuesday of each month they publish 2 blocks, which are free and downloadable. The first 2 (very easy) blocks, published in January, are now on their website.

Last night I started with block no 2 (I could not decide on a colour combination for block no 1);

preparation

and finished block.

A month is a long time for 2 blocks, so it is easy to fit them in between other projects, and at the same time to use up some of the fabric stash we all seem to have.

Earlier in the week I did some more embroidery on the side panel of Yoko Saito's box.

I am doing embroidery instead of applique here, because the applique pieces would be so, so small.

I am not happy about the green, it just doesn't look anything here; I will have to unpick it ( I hate doing that!) and think of another colour......

Thank you for visiting my blog,

come back soon!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2016

waiting

That's how I feel about February, my least favourite of all months; in fact I would say that I don't like February. I think about it as a  "waiting month", when winter can still hit us hard, but all we really want is spring. 

The winter this year has been mild and wet, the endless greyness; it seem like every time I look out of the window, it is raining; nothing to inspire.

DH and I took an advantage of some blue in the sky today, to take a walk around the town.

I like to take pictures of old roofs and chimneys - this is in the old part of Shepton Mallet.

The centre of the town,

where we still have our own library.

We passed by the Shepton Prison, which closed 3 years ago. Until then it was the oldest operating prison in UK. Now empty listed buildings, nobody really knows what to do with the depressing looking complex.

Walking through the town park is much more pleasant, 

although even the park looks little sad at this time of year.

The blue sky and snowdrops lift the spirit.

Seagulls and ducks enjoying the lake in the middle of the park.

At the top part of the park is a shelter,

all the walls inside decorated with a mosaic. Pretty and - not vandalised. 

The blue sky did not last long and we just made it home before the next lot of rain.

The kitchen still is the best place right now. Last weekend I made a potato pancake tea for DD and her family. I had 3 frying pans going at the same time to cope with the demand; served with cooked sauerkraut (as opposite to raw one, which can be eaten as a salad). Yes, I am showing my roots here.

So, not much stitching going on, but I have picked up my crochet hook again, the Bohemian Rhapsody Wrap, working on the second block - nearly there.

Soon to be joined to the first block.

Some new fabric arrived today (one has to have something to brighten up the days),

for the Quiltmania  "The Tuesday with Flowers"   project.

This is a free downloadable pattern, 2 blocks on the last Tuesday of each month.
The blocks are from the book "2001 Blocks" - see my post on 28th January.

I think this is an easy project to do "in between"  others, and a good opportunity to use some of your stash; I have already pulled out some fabric from my one.




Do you have a "in between" project?

©pleasureinstitching.blogpost.co.uk 2016